Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Busted Blogger .....

Every actual town has its virtual anonymice, online punditz who fire their barbed commentary from the safety of anonymity. More than once, I’ve read their claims of how they would suffer – in one way or another – if their identities were made known.

It’s worth a chuckle, at least. Sure, there are people who are going to be upset with what you write … but that hasn’t stopped millions of scribblers – over the years and around the world - from using a real name in their byline, and being ready to accept the consequences of their work.

America’s great like that. Our nation was founded in part by scribblers who knew full well what might befall those with the nerve to place their name on certain documents. Even those who occasionally used anonymity, such as Ben Franklin - who concealed his true identity to write for the New England Courant (well-concealed) and Poor Richard’s Almanac (not concealed at all) - would use his real name when the stakes were the highest, and the consequences were the most deadly … The Declaration of Independence, for example.

But there are times when America is very different from other parts of the world. From Rabat, Morroco, comes THIS REPORT from Reuters that a “blogger who accused Morocco's monarchy of encouraging a culture of dependency where loyalty is rewarded with favors has been jailed for showing disrespect for King Mohammed ...”

Also from Reuters come THIS REPORT that “an Australian writer has been arrested in Thailand and faces a lese-majeste charge for publishing a novel deemed defamatory to the country's royal family ...”

Think you and I would be so troubled for publishing our silly thoughts and opinions? … Oh, puh-leeze!